We had the chance to catch-up with the deeply talented and completely fabulous Anna Mae in the MG Studio in Nashville recently, AND we are in L-O-V-E.
“Sittin Pretty” is part new interview series and we couldn’t be happier to have someone as cool and down-to-earth as Anna Mae be our first interview! Owner and OG Molly Green gal, Brittany sat down with her to trade fashion tips and talk about love, life, what exactly is a hobby farm, and her music.
Don’t just take our word for how cool Anna Mae is, read the interview yourself. Read to the end to get links to Anna Mae’s music and her new song “Single-Minded” out now!
Enjoy! xoxo, MG
Brittany: Where are you from?
Anna Mae: I’m from Minnesota. I grew up on a small farm.
Brittany: What kind of farm?
Anna Mae: It’s a small hobby farm. A lot of people have never heard that term, but essentially it means it’s on a few acres and we have 30 sheep, 30 chicken just a few of all different types of animals. Actually, my parents turned it into a wedding venue a few years ago so now it’s a wedding venue/ hobby farm.
B: Gosh, cold though—
AM: Very cold! Now that I’m down here when I go home I’m like “This is awful! How did I do this? How did I survive??”
B: I know! I’m so ready for spring.
AM: Same here.
B: When did you start in music?
AM: Oh, well, it’s something that I always kind of wanted to be doing. When I was a freshman in high school my mom and older sister were like ‘You need to try out for the talent show.’ So I did and I sang “Breath” by Anna Nalick, and I played my guitar. It was the first time I had ever done something like that, but it went well. I won the ‘People’s Choice Award’ that night and I thought it was cool. So from there, I started to take more and more steps.
B: When did you move to Nashville?
AM: I moved here when I was 18. So I moved here and went to Belmont. I was like if I get in that’s cool, I’ll move and go there. If not, I’ll still move to Nashville because that’s where I knew I wanted to be pursuing music.
B: Is that what you went to school for?
AM: Yes, I went for music business to understand the business side of things. So that I would be smart in business situations.
B: What’s been the most surprising thing for about the music industry in Nashville?
AM: When I moved here, I heard it was a 7 to 10-year town. Like it takes you 7 to 10 years to break into the industry, which isn’t always the case, and I thought, ‘I’m going to do it faster because I don’t know if I have the patience for that…’ but I’ve been here for six years and only in the last year is when things started happening. I know it’s not always the case, but it’s like putting in the work and the time here makes a huge difference because it takes connection and also just getting your head on straight to know what you’re like, and what you want your music to be.
B: Do you karaoke?
AM: I do not karaoke. I’m competitive about things that I think I’m good at and so with karaoke, I can’t do that because I can’t get a very serious, and I don’t know how to tone to it. The only one I’ve been to was Lonnie’s. I don’t know if you went there in college. When you’re 18 it one of the only places you can go.
B: What music is on your iTunes or like in your car right now? What are you listening to you?
AM: I’ve been listening to Camila Cabello album non-stop. Then some of the old Bleachers music this morning and I never had listened to a bunch of it. One of my friends told me to listen to that song “Wake me” last week and it was amazing!
B: Cool, so do you use: Spotify, Tidal, Pandora, etc.?
AM: Spotify
B: What do you put on if you want to dance?
AM: I love the Katy Perry Teenage Dream album, and will always love it! If I hear anything from the album ever it makes me want to dance.
B: If you could hang out with any artist living or dead who would it be?
AM: Hmmm, that is a great question. My first thought is Katy Perry just because I love Katy Perry.
B: If you had a spirit animal artist who would that be?
AM: There is an artist call Dagny, and she’s so cool. So right I’m like obsessed with everything she wears, how she has her hair, and her music and all that.
B: How do you categorize your music? The sound?
AM: I would say it’s pop within alternative edgy so it’s a little alt-leaning.
B: Okay, so leaning more to the fashion side of your life or just like you in general, do you have any daily rituals?
AM: Well, I think I might have a lot of the same habits, like when I get ready every morning I have a big counter on my vanity that I like to sit on top of in my pajamas and do my makeup and get fully ready for the day sitting cross-legged. After that when I see myself then I can figure out what I want to wear.
B: Do you have any secret talents?
AM: Secret talents…man, I feel like I should. I don’t know if this is really a talent, but I think my body and like my neck cracks more than like anyone I’ve ever meet. So whenever I’m in a session, I’ll crack my neck and they’re like, ‘What the heck?!’
B: Are they worried?
AM: Yeah, but I don’t know if that’s a talent, but I feel like I could beat most people so…
B: Fashion secret?
AM: Fashion secret? Hmm, I feel like I always wear, we’ll actually I’m wearing them right now, I always wear black heeled leather boots, unless I’m wearing shorts or something, because to me, I feel like I can wear any outfit and that kind of ties it in to my own style and I feel confident with a little bit of boost.
B: Do they go with everything?
AM: Yeah!
B: What is always in your bag beside your wallet keys?
AM: My red lip stain from Sephora. It’s like a reddish orange.
B: Where do want to travel next?
AM: I really want to go to London because I’ve never been there, but I feel like I’d really love it.
B: Same! I’m actually going there this fall. What’s your favorite drink?
AM: Like “Drink” drink?
B: Haha, yeah.
AM: Gin and Tonic is my go to, always.
B: Do you believe in love at first sight?
AM: Yes, I do. But I don’t think both parties have to always feel it at first. I don’t know if that makes sense.
B: Yeah, it does! It worked out either way. Do you have any advice for someone thinking about moving to Nashville and getting into the music scene?
AM: I would say just move here and be willing to take whatever opportunity is in front of you and like even if it doesn’t seem exactly on the track that you want to be. Just take advantage of all those opportunities because each thing opens up a door to something else and it all brings you closer.
B: So if the fashion boutique reaches out to you…
AM: Yeah, then you get to go talk to them and try on all their cool clothes.
To listen to Anna Mae’s music and catch her new song “Single-Minded”, click HERE.